Friction draft and buffing members.



I. SIMPSON. PRIUTION DRAFT AND BUPFING MEMBERS.

,PPLIOATIOH Hmm JUNE 1, 1908.

Mmmm Patente@ m21, wm.

. Jam, N

- eral or outside wedge blocks I6, each of fio which provided with two sloping faces bearing against the facing the tapered surfaces ot' the blocks 14. The outer faceV ot each block U3 is slightly tapered.

Bearing against the outer ,faces ot the blocks 16 are the outside or lateral friction plates or blocks Q0 which are secured rigidly .and preferably in a detachable manner with-,-

in the housingS. The drawingshows the connection. formed by a boss 2l on each friction plate 'fitting within a socket in the housing. This detachable connection enables these friction plates to be removed when necessary and replaced by others', or so that liners may be inserted between them and the housing to compensate for wear due to long continued use. The friction plates 2U are also slightly tapered corresponding` to the tapered outer faces on the wedge blocks lt.

This friction draft gear operates in the usual way and is described in my Letters latent No. 809,265). ln its operation practieally Athe entire friction takes place between thi` outer faces ot the blocks 1G and the inner t'aces of the plates 20. Preferably the blocks lt' are somewhat harder than the plates 2t). My imprmfementis applied at these vlrietion faces and consists `in provid'- ing one ot these faces, such as the inner t'aecs of the plates 20, with a series ot grooves arranged in such a manner that the particles ot metal which are ground ott during the sliding action ot' the plates upon each otherI readily escape by gravity. These grooves n'iiglil, it' desired. be vertical but l prefer to have them inclined from the vertical soas to obviate all danger ot the blocks it sticking or catching in said grooves. The size ot' the grooves and their distance apart may 4be 'varied within considerable limits. Satisfactory results have been obtained by grooves about L of an inch deep and about the same or slightly greater width and spaced about j ot' an inch apart. These 2grooves are preferably.formed in the softer ones of the friction members)vliicln in the gear illustrated, are thc'plates Q0.

By providing the. grooves as shown the smallparticles of metal that are ground ott' by the sliding action of the platesin resisting butting shocks, have a chance to escape and tlieretore do not lodge between the plates and adhere thereto and form the lumps vwhich are so disastrous, not only tol the. lifel of the gear, but also make it unreliable and erratic in its resistance to stresses. These grooves can be formed upon a friction member of any shape or form and used in lany type of friction draft gear, butting device or the like. The arrangement of the grooves will depend upon tbe particular friction surfaces to which it is applied.

Preferably they will be so arranged that the particles can escape by gravity.

I wish itunderstood, therefore, that no limitations are to be imposed upon the terms of the claims hereinafter made either by reason ot the specific construction and arrangement ot friction members and grooves illustrated Vand described.

that I claim is:v

1. Friction 'members tor draft and butter vmechanism provided with contacting friction bearing faces, the bearing face of one of Said members being provided .i with grooves arranged to permit the escape of particles ot metal worn from the friction faces in the movement of one upon the other.

Q. Friction members for draft and butter mechanism provided with contacting friction bearing faces, the bearing tace of one of said members being grooved and thatI of the other member being smooth.

3. Friction members for draftl and bader mechanism provided with contacting triction bearing faces, the bearing face of one of saidmembcrs being provided with a series of grooves at an inclination from the horizontal to permit the escape oit the particles of iron worn ott from the parts in the move 

